


Love Isn’t A Strong Enough Word

by oxrosixo



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Post-Canon, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, idk but they’re stupid in love, kinda??, like ow toothache much
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-12 13:01:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28885809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oxrosixo/pseuds/oxrosixo
Summary: In which Bokuto and Akaashi are so in love with each other that it’s ((almost)) embarrassing while going about their day-to-day lives.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou
Comments: 8
Kudos: 61





	Love Isn’t A Strong Enough Word

**Author's Note:**

> hehe,, i wish love like this was real (,:  
> i hope you enjoy reading this, though it’s overbearingly sappy and literally just bokuaka grossly in love: the fic >:)) so yeah um,, v little plot just fluff lolol enjoy ly all <3

“Kei…ji..?” Bokuto murmured, furrowing his brows in his still mostly asleep stupor.  
He patted around the bed in search of his boyfriend to no avail. Of course, he already knew Akaashi wouldn’t be there, he’d made it his own personal mission to wrap himself as close as physically possible around his boyfriend whenever and wherever possible, so the distinct lack of Keiji between his arms was definitely concerning.  
Bokuto’s frown deepened and he finally managed to crack his eyes open to gaze blearily around the pitch black room.  
As expected, it was completely deserted apart from himself and there was little to no evidence suggesting Keiji had even come to bed in the first place despite the fact that he most certainly had.  
A quiet huff escaped Bokuto as he sat up, stretching his arms up over his head and glancing at the digital clock on the bedside table.  
3:26am.  
He stifled a yawn with his palm as he got to his feet and padded sleepily out of the bedroom and down the hall into the main living space. There too was deserted, completely dark and silent as it should be at such an ungodly hour.  
“Keiji?” Bokuto called out, listening intently for even the smallest sound of life within their shared apartment.  
It was completely silent, the world still, and now Bokuto was panicking. He ran back to the bedroom and grabbed his phone, hissing at the sudden light from the screen but powering through with watering eyes. He found Akaashi’s contact immediately and began typing out a text before cursing himself aloud and deleting the message, instead jamming the call button with a little more force than strictly necessary and holding the device up to his ear.  
It rang once, twice, and then Bokuto saw it, the dull light of a phone screen mostly hidden beneath the pillow on the right side of the bed. It was Keiji’s phone, in night mode, completely silent and very much present. Bokuto felt his blood run cold, his heart stop. Where was he? Why didn’t he have his phone?  
There was only one thing left to do, Bokuto hung up the call and opened up the keypad, his thumb just about to hit the first digit when he heard the telltale click of the front door unlocking and being opened.  
He sprinted full speed back out into the living area and gawked shamelessly at the disheveled looking Akaashi currently standing in the genkan with tousled hair and pyjama pants.  
“Keiji! Where- what- why-?” Was all Bokuto could get out, flailing his arms dramatically.  
“Oh, Kou, I’m sorry, I thought you were asleep.” Akaashi replied, looking half surprised by Bokuto’s presence and half embarrassed at being caught.  
“I was, but that’s not the point! I woke up and you were gone! You even left your phone! I was about to call the cops!” Bokuto all but yelled, shaking his head in disbelief at his boyfriend’s seeming lack of urgency.  
Akaashi smiled, clearly amused by the reaction he’d unintentionally gotten. “And what would you have said to the operator?”  
“Uh, help my boyfriend is missing? It’s like half three in the morning, Keiji, where even were you?” It was only then that Bokuto caught sight of the small, white plastic bag in his boyfriend’s hand, eyeing it purposefully.  
Akaashi shifted a little, looking off to the side in a shy, embarrassed kind of way. “It’s nothing.” He mumbled, pulling his shoes and coat off without meeting Bokuto’s eyes.  
Now with even more reason to be intrigued, Bokuto stepped forward and took Akaashi’s face between his palms, lifting it to level their gazes.  
“Keiji.” He murmured, looking down into the dark teal eyes he loved so much.  
“Mmn,” Akaashi hummed, his eyelids suddenly heavy and cheeks warm as he sank into the contact.  
“Where were you? And why couldn’t whatever it was you were out for wait until daylight?” Bokuto asked softly, nothing but genuine confusion and slight worry in his tone.  
Akaashi sighed, dropping his gaze again and worrying his lower lip. “It’s… embarrassing.” He mumbled, cheeks darkening visibly even in the very little light of the apartment.  
“OooOo, you know I’m good with embarrassing stuff, lay it on me.”  
Akaashi shifted again, bringing the bag up between them, offering it up to his curious partner.  
Bokuto released his hold of Akaashi’s face to take it, it was very light and seemingly only held a lone item. He glanced back at Akaashi’s face, asking once again if it was really okay with his eyes alone and the latter gave a small nod of assent at the silent question.  
Without further ado, Bokuto reached into the bag and took out a magazine. It was pretty thick, well made, the expensive sort with more weight than that of typical magazines. He squinted down at the cover, willing his eyes to adjust to the darkness further in order to make out the writing and imagery. After a couple seconds, it worked and his eyebrows shot up into his hairline, mouth dropping open in surprise.  
There, on the front cover of the magazine, was his own face, grinning up at him in that signature wide, confident manor. He scanned the title and let out a tiny laugh of surprise. It was the article Akaashi had interviewed him for with Tenma, featured in bold on the front cover.  
Bokuto felt his face splitting into a grin as he looked back up to see Akaashi watching him with bated breath and cheeks and ears now thoroughly heated.  
“It got released tonight?” Bokuto asked, his voice bubbling with unbridled joy and affection.  
Akaashi nodded shyly, adverting his gaze yet again. “They put it on the shelves at midnight and I was having trouble sleeping anyway, so,”  
Bokuto laughed, joyful and loud and pure, sweeping Akaashi into his arms, lifting him up and spinning in a circle. “You’re so cute! How the hell did I get so lucky?”  
Akaashi giggled lightly, reciprocating the attention immediately, sprinkling tiny kisses along Bokuto’s cheekbones, nose and forehead. “I think I should be the one saying that.”  
Bokuto grinned, ceasing his spinning to fully stare up at Akaashi’s face. “Nah. It’s me.” He said, leaning up to press their lips together.  
They kissed for a long moment, Akaashi held easily in Bokuto’s arms, his legs wrapped around his waist and hands on either side of his strong jaw. The apartment was completely silent around them, still entirely engulfed in the darkness of the hour but somehow seemed to glimmer and sparkle as they lost themselves in their own perfect moment.  
Eventually, their lips parted and their faces moved just far enough from each other to grant them view of the other’s face.  
Akaashi stared down into those burning golden irises, currently slightly obscured by heavy lids and thick white eyelashes, and let out a quiet sigh of contentment. Right now, he held his entire world, a whole burning, glowing star between his hands and there was nothing more he could ever even hope to ask for.  
“Whatcha thinkin’ about?” Bokuto murmured, voice quiet and deep and low enough to send tingles up Akaashi’s spine.  
“How pretty you are. How lucky I am. How much I love you.” Akaashi replied simply, his voice just as quiet, softer, slightly breathless.  
“No fair.” Bokuto stuck out his lower lip in a pout. “You stole all my lines, give ‘em back.”  
“You’ll have to take them by force.”  
“Deal.”  
With a devilish grin, Bokuto craned his neck up and pressed their mouths together once more, this time with more passion, more heat. He nibbled at Akaashi’s lower lip, causing him to part them in a sigh, granting Bokuto his opportunity. He licked against Akaashi’s upper lip, then along his teeth and the roof of his mouth before finally meeting his own tongue.  
When they parted, they were both out of breath and buzzing with heat, Akaashi gazing down into Bokuto’s face with glazed eyes, his pupils engulfing most of that gorgeous teal that Bokuto adored. Silent understanding passed between them in electrified waves of heat and with one last quick peck on the lips, Bokuto spun around and carried his boyfriend back to their room.  
The clock read 4:02am.

*~*~*~*

Akaashi awoke the next morning to the sound of heavy rain and wind against the windows. He hummed and scooted closer against Bokuto’s burning hot chest, feeling strong arms wrap further around him and give a gentle squeeze to let him know he wasn’t the only one awake. He opened his eyes and began tracing meaningless patterns across his partner’s bare skin, his mind still slow and foggy from sleep.  
Bokuto let out an appreciative sigh, lifting one of his own arms from around Akaashi to begin stroking his mussed black hair, easing out knots and attempting to flatten flyaways.  
They stayed like that for some time, just basking in one another’s warmth and company, listening to the stormy weather just beyond their walls, both of them still half asleep.

Eventually, Bokuto pressed a quick kiss into Akaashi’s hair before disentangling himself from his boyfriend and heading for the bathroom.  
Akaashi whined a little in protest at first, mourning the loss of his boyfriend’s superior warmth and the feel of his skin against his own, but upon seeing the always wonderful view of his stark naked body as he climbed out of bed and trotted out of the room, Akaashi found he no longer had anything to complain about.

They went about their usual routine, showers and breakfast, playful banter and talking over their respective plans for the day, Akaashi reading their article to Bokuto across the table, a mug of steaming coffee at his elbow.  
It was nice when they were together, unfortunately it wasn’t a constant thing, with Bokuto travelling for away games and Akaashi’s ridiculously late hours editing, often at the client’s homes or office buildings. They savoured their time in one another’s company, sharing easy affections and talking pretty much non-stop the whole way through the morning until, eventually, one of them had to depart.  
Today it was Bokuto, for practice, of course. Akaashi saw him to the door, tugging at the collar of his coat and ushering him his things to make absolutely certain that he didn’t forget anything.  
“Hey, hey! Keiji, I’m fine.” Bokuto laughed, his voice oozing fondness and his eyes like warm, liquid gold as he watched his flustered boyfriend fuss over him.  
“You forgot your wallet last time, may I remind you. And your whole bag the time before that, and don’t even get me started on when you left your phone-“ Akaashi was cut off in his harassed rambling by sudden strong hands cupping his cheeks and all-too-familiar soft lips touching his own, effectively calming him down and shutting him up.  
“I know.” Bokuto smiled, voice barely above a whisper, touching his forehead to Akaashi’s. “What would I do without you?”  
“This is why you always forget things, Koutarou.” Akaashi deadpanned though he was practically glowing.  
Bokuto chuckled lightly, kissing Akaashi once more on the mouth and then the forehead before finally breaking away, collecting up his things and tugging on his shoes in the genkan.  
“I’ll see you…?” Bokuto trailed off with a questioning look at his boyfriend.  
“Ah, I should be here tonight, if you will be?”  
“Yeah.” Bokuto beamed. “I will be. See you later Keiji, I love you.”  
“I love you too, Koutarou. Now go, you’ll be late.”  
Bokuto waved animatedly as he slipped through the door, blowing Akaashi a kiss before disappearing completely, the door closing behind him with a neat click. Akaashi sighed, it always felt so quiet after he left.

*~*~*~*

Akaashi spent his day as he normally did, working remotely from his laptop, answering emails and the odd text from Bokuto, rolling his eyes and laughing to himself, imagining the disapproving looks his coach was undoubtedly sending him.

In the evening, Akaashi finished his days work and began making dinner, putting the tv on in the background for some noise. About halfway through, his phone began ringing and, of course, it was Bokuto.  
“Keiji! I’m on my way home now, do you miss me? Huh, do ya?” Bokuto’s far too loud, much too excited voice boomed through the phone’s speaker, making Akaashi physically jolt and wince, holding the device a couple inches away from his ear.  
“Of course I do, Koutarou, I always miss you when we aren’t together.” Akaashi replied matter-of-factly, smiling privately at the muffled squealing sounds now permeating through the receiver.  
“T-that’s totally unfair! You can’t just spring such cute stuff on me like that when I can’t hug you afterwards!” Bokuto whined, sounding completely overjoyed though a tad flustered.  
Akaashi laughed quietly, holding his phone between his cheek and shoulder in order to continue cooking. “How was your day, Koutarou?”  
“Oh! It was amazing! You shoulda seen me, Keiji, I was on fire! Tsum-tsum was getting annoyed because I kept asking for tosses and I didn’t miss even one!”  
Keiji listened with a fond smile fixed on his face, chiming in here and there to tease or agree with whatever his enthusiastic partner was saying. They talked about their days, about a cat Bokuto saw on the subway on his way to training and what Akaashi was making for dinner.

Before either of them even knew it, half an hour had gone by and Bokuto was outside the building, complaining loudly when Akaashi told him to hang up since he was right outside anyway and Akaashi needed to serve the food.  
“It’s literally only two minutes, Koutarou, I think you can survive.” Akaashi told him with fond exasperation, rolling his eyes for the twentieth time in the last thirty minutes.  
“You don’t know that! I could get mugged or trip on the stairs or accidentally fall into a wormhole without your voice to guide me!” Bokuto exclaimed dramatically.  
“I highly doubt any of that happening to you Koutarou. Just look where you’re going and you’ll be quite alright.”  
“Ha! Jokes on you Keiji, while we were talking about this, I made it to the door!” Right on cue, there was a click and the door flew open, revealing an ecstatic looking Bokuto.  
Akaashi laughed, shaking his head fondly at his boyfriend as he rapidly kicked off his shoes and threw his gym bag haphazardly across the room, tripping over in his haste to reach Akaashi.  
He swept Akaashi up into his arms and began excitedly dotting kisses all over his face, murmuring little ‘I missed you’s between each of them.  
Akaashi giggled, the attention turning his cheeks pink, taking his boyfriend’s face between his hands and and smiling down into those glowing golden eyes.  
“Welcome home.” He punctuated the greeting with a gentle kiss to the lips, feeling Bokuto smiling beneath his touch.  
“I’m home.” Bokuto murmured against his life partner’s soft lips, setting him down atop the kitchen counter and winding his arms around his waist.  
Akaashi hummed, breaking away to plant another kiss to Bokuto’s forehead, bringing his hand around the back of his head to affectionately comb through his two-toned hair.  
Bokuto sighed like gravity had just released its traitorous hold on him, freeing him from the woes of being earth bound and letting him float away into the stratosphere. He rested his head against Akaashi’s shoulder, soaking in the feeling of his hand softly raking through his hair, his cheek rested against his temple, the warm comfort of his legs resting beside his hips.  
“Koutarou, the food will get cold.” Akaashi told him, voice quiet, almost reluctant.  
Bokuto grinned, lifting his head to face Akaashi again. “We can’t be having that now, can we?” He mused, tone playful.  
Akaashi frowned at him momentarily before letting out another soft laugh, touching their foreheads and shaking his head. “No, we most certainly can not.”  
Bokuto pulled Akaashi back with him as he moved away, setting him carefully back on his feet, hands staying firmly planted to his boyfriend’s hips as he served up their food, hooking his chin over his shoulder to watch his graceful movements.

When it was done, they migrated to the table to eat, Bokuto shifting his chair closer to Akaashi, intertwining their legs beneath the table, arms brushing slightly every now and then.  
He regaled Akaashi with even more tales of his day, about Atsumu’s complaining and Hinata’s awe at his ‘unstoppable awesomeness’. How the coach had told them off for acting like children and how Sakusa nearly left the building when Atsumu sneezed on the volleyball and wiped his nose on his palm without second thought.  
Apparently, they were only able to talk him down when they put Atsumu through ‘intensive quarantine’ in the showers and the volleyball was contained to the culprit’s bag, wrapped in two plastic bags.  
Sakusa still avoided the unnatural blonde like the plague for the rest of practice, though, and he wore a near constant grimace whenever he received spikes.  
Akaashi laughed in all the right places, rolled his eyes and looked surprised whenever the dramatic retelling called for it. He was the best audience, the only one Bokuto really needed, if Akaashi was listening, watching, reacting to his words or actions in that signature way only Akaashi could provide, Bokuto felt seen, felt heard and appreciated.  
He felt home.

Once they finished eating, Bokuto washed the dishes while Akaashi dried and put them away. They continued to talk, about small things, this and that, the the odd shape of a cloud seen out of the kitchen window and a flock of birds circling the neighbourhood in search of a roosting spot.  
The sky was burnt orange now, flecked through with fiery crimson and deep indigo, the clouds a shimmering gold. Despite the awful weather that same morning, the day had turned hot and clear at around noon, completely erasing any signs that there had even been a storm to begin with.

At some point, Bokuto went oddly quiet and when Akaashi looked up to see what was wrong he found those dazzling golden eyes already fixed on his face.  
The expression he wore made Akaashi suddenly feel very warm, his heart seemed to both swell to three times its normal size and violently start hammering against his ribs all at once.  
He was watching Akaashi with a look of such pure, uninhibited love that it was practically palpable in the air between them.  
It was warm and soft and clear, oh so clear, like looking down into the bottom of a tropical reef, seeing every fish and rock, every underwater plant and creature through the glossy sea.  
It was a look that spoke words Akaashi knew didn’t exist, words for feelings too strong and appreciation too great to be verbalised.  
Like an elderly man, blind his entire life, finally granted sight and seeing the sun, the trees and grass and faces of his loved ones for the very first time.

In the orange glow from the sun setting outside the window, Akaashi looked truly breathtaking. He was always beautiful, of course, but right now, here in this moment with the warm light soothing his sharp features and spreading light through his dark hair and eyes, he looked like the dictionary definition of otherworldly.  
He was too handsome, too stunningly gorgeous to be a real person. A real person who shared a kitchen with Bokuto, who laughed and teased and kissed Bokuto. His heart gave a painful throb, he admitted defeat. He was a lost cause, had been for a long while, but now it was truly hitting him the implications of that.  
He had lost a battle he didn’t know he’d been fighting, his heart, soul and whole being belonged exclusively to Akaashi Keiji.  
He couldn’t be happier, more content or fulfilled, even if he tried.  
His body moved on its own, carrying him forward to his heart’s captor, his arms wrapping around the smaller man’s waist naturally, like it was where they’d always meant to be.  
Akaashi looked up at him, eyes too bright.  
“Kou…? What’s the matter?” He whispered, voice soft and fragile sounding.  
“Nothing, Keij, absolutely nothing at all.” Bokuto replied, touching their foreheads and closing his eyes, sighing with a relief so potent that it gave Akaashi a vision of a bird set free into the endless sky.  
“Ok.” Akaashi nodded slightly against Bokuto, smiling at his boyfriend’s completely euphoric expression, like he’d solved all of life’s great mysteries and was now content with just existing.

Eventually, they moved into the sitting room, curling up together on the sofa with some nondescript movie playing on the tv, neither of them paying any attention to it whatsoever.  
Akaashi sat curled up in Bokuto’s lap, the latter’s arms fixed firmly around him, fingers playing with the small curls at the nape of Akaashi’s neck, eyes down, watching his boyfriend’s face like it was the most interesting thing in the world.  
Akaashi watched his own hand, drawing slow swirls and patterns along his partner’s chest, basking in the warmth and feel of Bokuto all around him, the steady thudding of his heart beneath his ear, the warm tickle of steady breathing against his hair.

When Akaashi next looked up, the clock read 12:32am. It was almost completely dark in the room now, only the tv providing any sort of illumination, the sun long set and neither of them having moved to switch the lights on.  
He glanced at Bokuto to see his eyes closed, head slumped to the side against the back sofa cushions, breathing heavy, slow and even.  
Akaashi just watched him for a long moment, taking in the long, thick white eyelashes against his cheeks, the slight part in his lips as breath huffed in and out between them.  
He reached up and stroked his fingertips lightly across his sleeping partner’s cheek, rousing him gently.  
Bokuto blinked blearily down at him, smiling softly as he reached down to cup Akaashi’s cheek in his large, calloused palm, bringing their faces together to plant a warm kiss on his lips.  
Akaashi beamed, love shining out of his shaded teal eyes as he shifted slightly, taking Bokuto’s hand in his own, lacing their fingers together, and tugging him a little.  
Bokuto took the hint, rising with his boyfriend and following him into the bedroom, led by the hand. They undressed one another in comfortable quiet and climbed into bed together, curling up beneath the sheets, Akaashi’s head resting against Bokuto’s shoulder, hands entwined over his heart, moving up and down with each rise and fall of his chest.  
It was comfortable and calm, contentment rolling off the pair in waves as they slowly sank into easy sleep, soft smiles etched onto both of their faces, even in unconsciousness.

Akaashi used to love dreaming, used to love the wild stories his mind would tell him in sleep, the mad unpredictability of it all.  
Now, however, he found his dreams quite boring. They were empty feeling, like he was constantly distracted and couldn’t concentrate on the plot. Something was missing.  
Even when he dreamed of Bokuto, which was very often, it could never compare to the real thing. The Bokuto his subconscious tried to give him was too dull, too foggy and faded, blurring slightly at the edges.  
He wasn’t there, all hard muscles and loud laughter, eyes sparkling, a shade so beautiful that it made 24 karat gold insecure and a smile that could light up an entire Olympic stadium.  
No, nothing could never even begin to compare to the real thing.   
Akaashi felt the rough skin of familiar palms cradling his face, light fingers pushing his hair away from his eyes, gentle thumbs stroking along his under eyes. He let his eyes flutter open, finding golden irises immediately and smiling, shifting his face a little to plant a kiss against Bokuto’s palm, eyes never leaving the latter’s.  
“What’s the time?” Akaashi murmured, low and rough with sleep.  
“Um…” Bokuto lifted his head from the pillow to look over at the clock.  
It read 8:12am.  
“Too early for you. Sorry.” He smiled apologetically.  
“It’s okay, I’ll forgive you this time.” Akaashi hummed, gently tracing his own fingertips across his partner’s cheek.  
Bokuto grinned, leaning into the touch, shuffling closer to Akaashi so that their bodies were flush against one another. “Good, cause now that you’re up I’ve gotta remind you how much I love you.”  
Akaashi laughed quietly, his cheeks warm. “I’m not sure I could ever forget that, Koutarou.”  
“Just in case.” Bokuto breathed, face inches from Akaashi’s now, eyes on his mouth.  
“Ah, well if you insist.” Akaashi conceded, closing the gap completely, smiling into the kiss, hoping upon hope that Bokuto could feel how unmeasurably happy he made him feel.  
Bokuto huffed a small laugh, crinkling his eyes.  
“You really do have my whole heart, Keiji.”  
“Mmn, I promise to take utmost care of it, if you’ll promise to do the same for me?”  
“Of course, for as long as you’ll have me.”  
Akaashi laughed. “Forever is a long time, Koutarou. Are you sure you’re okay with that kind of commitment?”  
“I always have been, if it’s you.”  
“Forever, then.”  
Bokuto nodded. “Forever.”

**Author's Note:**

> do your teeth ache?? yea... me too... sorry definitely not sorry ahahahaha,,, fr though i really hope you enjoyed it!! i wrote it in like two days flat so sry if it’s a lil nonsensical at times,, 3-7am is brain rot time teehee >:)) thank you for reading,, ly all byebyeee <3


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